Out of Seattle to Vancouver (Canada) the I-5 does travel through a little mountainous area (just past Mt. Vernon to the border), but for the most part it would probably just be rainy if anything. Going from Seattle to Portland, the I-5 moves closer to the Pacific and sea level, so you probably won't get snow that way either.

And we don't tend to get those full-on rainstorms that you get in Florida. We like to spread our rain out over a few hours (as opposed to minutes), so it's not as extreme.

That's not to say it won't snow, but I don't think it will be any cause for concern. Typically, we tend to get snow falls in the Portland, Seattle, Vancouver corridor closer in December - January.

I wouldn't worry about it.

Hi, saw your apparent frustration about the lack of feedback on this post, so I figured I'd come around and offer my thoughts.

Firstly, Miami to the northwest in November assures that you'd be coooooooooooold. Everybody says that our rain is a chilly rain, and to come from Miami just begs you to bring extra clothing (layers).

Next, the Seahawks stink, so hopefully you're bringing a team from, say, Miami to root for???

There is no seeming 'danger' to the roadways between the spots you mention.

I like your targets a great deal, and for being SO FAR from home, it makes sense to tryyyyyyyyyyyyyyy to cover everything.

DO INDEED use the comparative costs to dictate your exact itinerary, BUT you should probably root for "Seattle" to be the arrival/departure point as it sits in the middle between the two other destinations. (with that a circular-seeming trip is possible) (not REEEEEally a 'circle', but Seattle makes a much better start/end point)

With a week (AND a football game) you'll be challenged to work it all in, and MIGHT not have time to use the train to your advantage.

Games are on Sundays, usually, (although, cough cough, the Seahawks have the highest win percentage of anybody on Monday nights!) so does that mean you would fly on a Saturday, see a game, and then hit the road???

IF you have just seven days and you can get lucky enough to make Seattle your fly in/out city... then you should do your major planning for both Oregon and Vancouver, Canada, and let Seattle be something you see 'in between'.

(Pauses to imagine what Floridians might have as their image OF the Oregon coast after a November visit there)

(shakes head in fear...)


OK, let me try piece by piece:

Fly to Seattle on a Saturday
Overnight somewhere
Football game on Sunday

LET post-game traffic clear out... perhaps dine nearby after the game (most Seahawks games are effectively 'over' with about 10 minutes elapsed in the 3rd quarter, and the writing is on the wall well before that point).

THEN hit the road for your drive to Portland. 170 miles from central Seattle to Portland (70mph speed limits once you've gone 65 miles south of Seattle, and until 10 miles north of the Oregon border) (save for a small segement elsewhere).

As the Oregon coast is important to you, upon getting down near to Oregon, I think I'd forego Portland on the way in and drive immediately to Astoria, Oregon (via Longview, WA and west).

Ideally you'd stay for a night at someplace in/near Astoria, and then awake undoubtedly to grey and gloomy November weather.

Drive the main drag down the Oregon coast for as far as you want to go... (let the rain and wind decide). Maybe stop at Tillamook for lunch and a trip to the cheese factory there.

Then keep gping.

IF inclined to spend a night somewhere (else) along the coast, then do so, and eventually cut inland and find Interstate 5 and head northbound.

I guess a night in Portland makes sense, but perhaps you'll have to weigh the alternatives of a 2nd night on the Oregon coast vs. a night in Portland.

Sat night - Seattle
Sun night - Astoria ???
Mon night - central OR coast OR Portland (see how this goes)

Tues night - gonna TRY Portland - to see if this works at all

Weds morning - LEAVE EARLY and go, go, go... straight up dull Interstate 5.

The entire N-S length of Washington State is 275 miles... and if you can get THROUGH Seattle by 2pm, then keep going!!!

(do NOT have yourself leaving central Seattle heading northward between 3pm and 6pm - rush hour traffic!!!).


IF you drove into town from the south @ 3:15pm... just alter your plans and stop somewhere for a nice dinner and a little sightseeing.

That's another thing, it'll be getting DARK by 4:30 or 5:00pm then in the far north, so make use of every second of daylight you get. (maybe that dinner plan wouldn't be so bad IF it had to come to that).

Then, now, it's potentially 6:30pm on Weds night... you have 110 miles to the Canadian border, and a drive from Seattle to Vancouver commencing @ 6:30pm isn't horrible (2 1/2 hours plus border time - EVERYBODY will need a PASSPORT to visit Canada!).

Given your time constraints, you PRESS ON to get to a central Vancouver location by Wednesday night... cuz Vancouver (and not the Seahawks) is the jewel of this trip.

Vancouver stays alive all night long, rain or shine, so don't be afraid to go and check out the area after nightfall. In few other large cities do 'normal' people walk the streets all night long (different people at different times, but still 'normal', harmless people).

(gonna post this, and then add to it: )

SO, yeah, Wednesday was a looooooooooong day... but a 300-mile car drive isn't terrible, esp. if you break it up.

It will probably be too grey and gloomy to see Mount Rainier very well along your path, but not impossible, and some of the scenes are quite impressive, even from the road.

(ditto Mount St. Helens)

SO,

Thursday morning you awaken in downtown Vancouver... the downtown area is somewhat compact given water on 3 sides creating natural barriers. It is great fun to just roam around and immerse yourself in the slight-ish differences between Canada and the U.S.... while remaining comfortable that you will be able to interpret just about anything (except the meaning of "eh" in context)

To get ready for your trip to Canada, you should watch this unparalleled video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDeDQpIQFD0

Surely one of the best government-produced pieces of all time.


So, spend the day roaming around Vancouver, and IF somehow the day is clear (all day)... maybe consider a short trip to Grouse Mountain (www.grousemountain.com) where you pay a small fortune ($40-ish each) to ride a gondola up the side of a mountain and find stunning views, a nice restaurant and a ski area 3000 feet up. (Winter mountain temps are certain - so you'd need to wear everything you brought, at the same time, etc.)

Depending upon when your flight leaves Seattle on (saturday??) you would do best to dawdle in Vancouver for the 2nd full day (Friday, in this case) and leave Canada as late as possible. I always recommend departing after 8pm, cuz the border lines can be a real pain when coming back TO the USA.

IF you desire more time for either Vancouver OR Seattle on the way out of town... you'd have to 'negotiate' with that earlier night I allowed on the central Oregon coast... drive a semi-circle from Astoria to, eh, maybe Newport, then inland, and up I-5 to Portland.

Gonna be demanding, but since it's sooooooooooo far from your home, AND not really on the way to anywhere (save Alaska), you should give it your best shot.

HI SMac. I guess you've heard / witnessed our Florida storms? LOL

Thanks for the insight. I'm just not sure what to expect so I'd like to be prepared. Thanks again

NorthwestMale thank you for your witty responses and insight. As lame as it sounds, you are quite entertaining

I know the Seahawks aren't great, but we are big football fans and are interested in visiting Century Link (I still prefer to call it Qwest)Field. With that being said, the Dolphins aren't any better, luckilly I'm not a fan of theirs, and actually think it would suck to visit somewhere and STILL be stuck watching them play LOL

I can handle the chilly / cold weather. I look forward to it on trips, as it's always a nice change. Just dono't ask me to drive on ice / snow, because well, I've just never been put on that spot. Therefore, I hope you understand my slight paranoia ... at least a lil bit.

so as you shake your head in fear as to what my image of OR would be in November ... is it not a good month to visit? Aside from the rain?

You actually set the week up quite nicely!

I'm glad you highlighted Vancouver (not the Seahawks) as it's somewhere I've been wanting to go. We are also going to try and catch a Canucks game there. Hopefully they're schedule works with ours.

At least the Dolphins have a significant PAST, and I love it each year when the 1972 Dolphins get together for dinner upon such time as when the last undefeated team goes down.

Have to admit that it COULD snow in November, but it isn't a grand bet, and you certainly shouldn't be anticipating it for such a trip. (The top of Grouse Mountain WILL be snowy by then, but you wouldn't have to drive in such a place)

Combining the last FIVE Novembers in Seattle, it snowed on exactly two days: http://www.beautifulseattle.com/mthsum.asp

As far as the Oregon coast goes... (and first, let me assure that I tryyyyyyyyyyyyyyy as much as possible to view this from the standpoint of somebody from Miami - knowing that you probably know warm beach life [AND that you know this ain't gonna be it] )

The two options for November on the Oregon coast are

A. Windy, rainy, and grey

or

B. Windy, sunny, and considerably chilly (esp. by Miami standards)

BUT, youuuuuuuuuuu already know/have what most sense to be ideal coastal weather (so it isn't in demand for you as might be the case for someone from Kansas).

Hopefully the lush green surroundings up here will impress you no matter where you go, and that you can appreciate in juuuuuuuuuuust about any kind of weather.

My concern there wasn't how you'll actually see/enjoy the Oregon coast in November, but rather, what sense of it you'll retain as you try to observe your memories/image OF it, when looking back from the future.

I'd guess that were you there in the summer, you might love the combination of decent warmth without any serious humidity. But given all you've said, I do not think you should alter anything about the time of year you visit.

Vancouver can be so stunning with wintery scenery (on its mountainous backdrop) that it could single-handedly make-up for any sacrifices in Oregon.

Had you been writing from Utah, or Wyoming, I might see your vision of your trip a bit differently (cuz you might/could get back soon), but as you're from SO far away, I wholly endorse (covering lots of miles to see plenty, and especially Vancouver).

IF you had to narrow down to either/or... between Oregon and Vancouver... Vancouver is a no-brainer.

If you try to get a Canucks game in with your trip, you should look at buying tickets before you arrive in Vancouver. All the game sell-out. There are always scalper tickets avvailable, mind you. The team "might" sell day of game tickets.

If you have an idea of when you'll be coming, you can check the Canucks schedule from 2011 to see who may be in town around your visit. Normally, the NHL schedule doesn't change too much from year to year.

Canuck games are a lot of fun, but they are an expensive ticket due to popularity. Watching from a bar close by in Gastown is the next best thing.

I think the biggest negative about visiting the PNW in November is the days are very VERY short. Like getting dark at 4:15pm.

To get to Portland and Northern Oregon Coast, you would be driving down I-5. Which is a fairly boring, not exciting, not scary, but direct freeway. The chance of ice in November is very slim. The worst conditions you'd be likely to encounter is if it happens to be a rainstorm.

@SMac - i checked the schedule and, if it's anything like the 2011 one, then the Canucks won't be there. Holding out hope that they will be once the schedule is released. But if they are, we definitely intend on purchasing tickets before even leaving Miami

@suze i've duly noted the short days. we intend on waking up early and making the most of the "daylight" (rainy daylight? lol)

@NorthwestMale we have added Grouse Mountain to our list. there's an "ultimate experience" package we hope to do - not sure if weather can affect that, but it's definitely on our list. And as far as the 72' Dolphins ... doesn't sit to well with me. See, I've actually been a patriots fan for about 18 years now lol I should've visited the PNW during that "could've been perfect season" Super Bowl ...

***UPDATE***

@NorthwestMale we finalized our schedule as far as nights and cities go. We took your advise and gave Vancouver the extra time, rather than Oregon. this is what we have.

Friday Night - Arrive into Seattle

Saturday - Seattle

Sunday after Seahawks game - driving into Seaside, OR

Monday after we visit the OR coast - driving into Portland

Tuesday morning - a little bit of Portland and driving into Vancouver. **duly noted the times we must be past Seattle by**

Tuesday night (?) and Wednesday-Friday morning is reserved for Vancouver

Friday mid-afternoon return to Seattle for Saturday AM departure.

If I were making this trip, I would spend at least one night on the Oregon Coast and I would reserve a day to visit the beautiful Columbia River Gorge.

Also, driving Seattle-Oregon-Seattle-Vancouver-Seattle would displease me.

HTTY

When you're coming all that way, you simply HAVE to put miles under you to cover lots of stuff. Were you visiting from western Montana or the like, you could put it off. Betting on your getting back here while you can still remember what you DID when you were first here, is crazy.


A potential snag is going to be Seahawks' traffic after that Sunday game... and then you'll have to drive 200 miles in northwest November weather (scratches head - is that the rainiest month here??? - they all blend together).

Ya almost SHOULD go and roam through nearby Pioneer Square (on foot) after the game... and have dinner there, because it will be far more time-cost effective than is sitting in traffic on roads you don't know.

Don't get tanked at the local bars though, as you still need to think about that drive.

You won't reeeeeeeeeeeeally be missing much in terms of the Interstate-5 drive to Oregon, after dark. The rain in Centralia is nearly certain, and the casino sign(s) will light-up rain or shine, daylight or night.


Re: Vancouver, Canada: No matter what time you get there on a Tuesday night, you can go out and roam around and find something 'alive'. It won't be like Miami - largely because it will be 45 degrees and wet out, but Vancouver stays somewhat in motion all night long.

Friday on the rebound coming BACK to USA will find you in border traffic for (shrug) an hour-ish??? (possibly more)

A good idea might be to drive farther east on Hwy #1, and take a more rural border crossing that others might not spend the time to reach. There's a LOT of nature up there, and if you get a clear day, the scenery from a moving car between Aldergrove, BC or even Abbottsford, BC could be refreshing.

The distance added won't be too much, and it will be easier to take moving along vs. staying in a long line of cars.

A couple of days is enough to get a taste of Vancouver, and I'm guessing that you'll see juuuuuuust enough to make you want to return at first opportunity.

The only remaining variable I can think of at this point is the dismal Seahawks' record by November...

Oops, slight clarity:

the scenery between either Aldergrove or Abbottsford and, say, Bellingham, WA could be refreshing (if it is clear enough to see very far) (which could be the case)

Some good advice - and I would opt to drive to Lincoln City from Portland (two hours or less) and stay the first night just south of there at Depoe Bay (I like the Surfrider http://surfriderresort.com/ ) - where you might see some whales, even from your room.

And from Lincoln City south to say Florence is what some think is the most scenic part/drive along the Oregon Coast - and from Florence - you could drive an hour plus inland to Eugene - a classic University Town - and then two and a half hours back up to Portland.

If you timed it right - you could see a "real" football team - the Mighty University of Oregon Ducks - (love this U-Tube - "Return of the Quack" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_P1PPy7FTo ) and you might also decide to visit a winery or two outside of Eugene - our favorites being King Estate, Hinman/Sylvan Ridge (which has a nice picnic area overlooking the vineyards - which will be barren by then though) and the aptly named - Sweet Cheeks.

As for Vancouver, it's a nice, big city - but I would opt for taking the ferry from Seattle over to Victoria (you can also take the car ferry from other places in the Puget Sound area) - and on
Vancouver Island enjoy not only the British Influence (perhaps have High Tea at the Empress - or one of the lower cost alternatives elsewhere) - and then find a British pub.

By all means - get to the great Royal BC Museum which has a very colorful history of the area, complete with Totem Poles and mining cars. and also to the fabled botanical gardens at nearby Buchart Gardens. In the summers - Buchart Gardens has the best fireworks - years ago anyway - put on by a French company who did the same for no less than Napoleon. http://www.islandnet.com/~victourism/mall/101ideas.htm

Hey, Jennise, how did this trip turn out for you???


(let us know when you return to Fodors???)